California Food & Justice Coalition

:: January 2008 Newsletter ::

In This Issue
:: Federal (Food and) Farm Bill Update – San Francisco Action Feb. 13th
:: CFJC Member Meetings – 6 new locations/dates for Feb & March
:: Hunger, Poverty and Policy
:: Funding Opportunities – CFP update
:: In the News: Misleading Meat
:: Food & Justice Online - Media that Matters
:: Member Announcements: jobs, events, alerts, and more . . .
We regret that the January Newsletter may be reaching you on Feb. 1. Our Riseup list was having
some technical difficulties.

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FEDERAL FOOD & FARM BILL UPDATE

CA Reps Set to Influence Final Farm Bill Negotiations - With the Senate and House versions of the
new farm bill passed in 2007, the next step is for the differences between the two bills to be
negotiated and resolved so that one final bill can be voted on by both Chambers and sent to the
President. These negotiations are carried out by a joint committee of House and Senate
agriculture committee members called the “conference committee”. Though the committee
appointments have not yet been officially announced Reps Joe Baca (D-43) and Dennis Cardoza
(D-18) are a sure bet for the committee, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-8th) will once again have an
opportunity to influence the bill as Speaker of the House. While there are many substantive
differences between the bills to work through, the most notable deal with way the two bills are
funded. The Bush administration has put out a veto warning because of their objection to what
they call tax-based funding strategies and the lack of commodity reform – which they are in favor
of because of their conflict with international trade rules.

Timing: Congressional staff are working to reach agreements over the smaller differences in the
bill. Soon the members will begin negotiations over the bigger differences. Word is that the aim is
to have a final bill mid-March. While the farm bill is always a moving target, there is pressure to get
the bill completed before the Congressional Budget Office comes out with a report that could
decrease the amount of available money for the bill, making the funding negotiations even more
difficult.

The Status of CFJC’s Priorities: At this point our requests to conference committee members are a
bit of a ping-pong game, “Support CFP funding in the Senate.... FSNE language from the House....
Healthy Food Enterprise Development Center in the Senate.... Minority Farm Outreach funding from
the House.....” You can view a chart detailing the status of CFJC’s priorities and our conference
committee asks at: h http://www.foodsecurity.org/california/Farm_Bill.html. ACTION ALERT:
Members need to be contacted on these issues so they can fight for our priorities. Get phone
numbers, background information and talking points at
http://www.foodsecurity.org/california/Farm_Bill.html.... PLEASE ACT QUICKLY and CONTACT
MEMBERS TODAY!
Items of Note that Need Your Action (additional talking points and highlighted issues are on the
web):
• Community Food Projects: Funding for this program is in jepordy and as a result USDA has
notified groups that submitted LOI’s earlier in January that the current funding round is suspended
until the Farm Bill is passed and funding is certain. Over 460 LOI’s were submitted, many from CA.
It’s critical that CA Reps and Senators hear from us on CFP. Contact them and request Senate CFP
funding at $10 million mandatory in the final bill.
• Commodity Reform: Though neither the House or Senate bills included significant changes
to current commodity programs, the administration’s veto threat is creating an opportunity to
continue negotiations on reform. Senator Grassley (R-IA) has insisted that commodity reforms are
still on the table (including payment limits and restricting payments to people actively engaged in
farming) and House Ag. Chairman Peterson (D-MN) recently indicated that he’s talking to
congressional leadership about “bridging the [funding] gap [for the farm bill]” with the
administration through progress on payment limits. Rep. Nancy Pelosi has been quoted as wanting
greater reform in the final bill and now has the opportunity to use her power as Speaker to
negotiate for meaningful reforms. Food Justice Advocates will be gathering in San Francisco on
Wednesday, Feb. 13th to call on Pelosi to “Have a Heart” and fight for the farm bill that we can
love – see more details below and at: http://www.cafoodjustice.org.
• Food Stamp Nutrition Education: Although the House and the Senate have language
encouraging “public health approaches” within FSNE just a few words difference will create very
different outcomes. The House language allows FSNE to support these broader uses, while the
Senate language states that FSNE should coordinate with others using broader approaches
(essentially no change from how the program is opperating now). Rep. Baca has agreed to
champion the House language, but needs encouragement and support from his colleagues.

Speak-Out and Eat-In For A Fair and Healthy Farm Bill Now!
Food Justice Activists Call on Speaker Pelosi and others to
Give Us A Food and Farm Bill We’ll Love for Valentine’s Day
Wednesday Feb. 13th, 12pm
@ Heart of the City Farmers’ Market at UN Plaza

Speakers Include: Bryant Terry, eco-chef, author, and Food and Society Policy Fellow; the
California Food and Justice Coalition; Shyaam Shabaka, Founder and Director of the Eco-Village
Farm Learning Center; Local Farmers; Community Anti-Hunger Advocates; Peggy da Silva,
Veritable Vegetable, the oldest organic produce distributor in the U.S.; and representatives from
San Francisco’s Alemany Farm.

This Valentine’s Day Season, come join together with CFJC and other food justice activists as we
speak out on the farm bill. We’ll be gathering to call upon House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and
Representative Joe Baca and Dennis Cardoza, who are likely to sit on the Farm Bill conference
committee, to pass a Fair and Healthy Food and Farm Bill as soon as possible that stops subsidizing
corporate agribusiness at the expense of public health and invests our tax dollars into creating a
sustainable, healthy, community-driven and just food system! The passage of the 2007 Farm Bill
through Congress has been marked by never-before-seen public demand for reform, which has
compelled California's legislators to begin to support critical commodity reform measures as and
increased investment in local food systems. In the final stages of this campaign we must keep the
pressure on.

This event is also an opportunity to listen to, connect with, learn from, and get involved in
important local programs and campaigns to improve the bay area’s food system. We encourage
you to bring a hearty lunch that reflects the kinds of foods you think our Farm Bill should support.
After the speak out we walk to Speaker Pelosi’s office and deliver our message.

Get involved in creating this event: jessicabell@cafoodjustice.org, 510 704 0245,

http://www.cafoodjustice.org.

Come to a Banner & Sign Making Party leading up to the event: Sat. Feb.9th, 12pm – 4pm, 3208
Shattuck Ave, Berkeley. We’ll be making a big banner as well as signs with love hearts on them.

The Heart of the City Farmers Market is at 1182 Market Street, San Francisco, next to the Civic
Center BART Station. More info at: http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/profile/863197

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HUNGER, POVERTY and HUNGER
(Thanks to Hunger Action Los Angeles)

:: Economic Stimulus Package: House of Reps Omits Food Stamps, Senate May Include Food
Stamp Increases
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is leading an effort to include an increase in Food Stamp benefits in the
economic stimulus package currently being worked on by Congress. In a letter to Senate
leadership, Feingold and a bipartisan group of eighteen of his Senate colleagues asked that they
reconsider the omission of the Food Stamp benefit increase from the package, in light of the fact
that experts say it could help stimulate the economy as well as help low-income Americans. U.S.
Senator from California Barbara Boxer has signed on to the letter which you can see here:
http://feingold.senate.gov/pdf/ltr_foodstamps_012508.pdf. She also called for food stamp
increases in her own press release last Friday, as well as increases in Emergency Food Assistance
program: http://boxer.senate.gov/news/releases/record.cfm?id=291255. Please call our senators
Boxer 213 894 5000 and Senator Feinstein 310 914 7300 to thank them for including the neediest
Americans in the economic stimulus package.

:: Governor’s Proposed Budget Hurts The Poor

What ever the Federal government does to help in the recession may be undone by our California
Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget. $463 million total will be cut from the CalWORKs
family welfare program by ending benefits for children whose parents have already been
terminated from the program: $323 million will be taken from the annual cost of living increases for
the elderly and disabled (Supplemental Security Income): and billions will also be taken from the
Medi-Cal program. The family cuts are particularly harsh as they may leave families with no income
for food or rent, even as more families will need to apply for assistance due to the recession. The
legislature’s failure to pass universal health care (although the proposal was flawed) does not add
any good news to the outlook on the State level. Here are some useful summaries of the
Governor’s proposal, which he hopes to enact before March:
http://www.cfpa.net/2008NuitritonalAnalysisoftheImpactofGovernor'sBudget.pdf and
http://www.cbp.org/pdfs/2008/080116_govbudget.pdf

:: Beware Efforts To Undo Rent Control in California (Thanks to Coalition for Economic Survival and
others)
One of the major contributing factors to hunger in CA is high rent. Many people living with limited
incomes in Los Angeles are paying more than half their income for rent. Disabled persons and
many people on social security typically get $900 to $1000 a month and are paying far more than
half that in rent. Many low-income people are only able to afford their apartments due to rent
control which in LA limits the amount of annual rent increases on buildings built before 1978.
Landlords and others are promoting a measure on the June ‘08 ballot called Proposition 98 ---the
California Property Owners and Farmland Protection Act (CPOFPA) . They are touting the measure
as being about eminent domain, but the measure is really an attempt to abolish rent control and
other renter protections. To make matters worse, the measure also contains poorly drafted
provisions that could stop future water projects, destroy local land-use planning and erode
environmental protections. The loss of rent control would lead to both hunger and homelessness.
Please be aware of this deceptively worded initiative.Here is more
information:http://www.rentersrights.blogspot.com/
http://www.cesinaction.org/announcements.html

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CFJC MEMBER MEETINGS

We invite you to attend the meeting nearest you!

:: Arcata, Friday Feb. 1st
:: Watsonville, Tuesday, Feb. 19th
:: Los Angeles, Friday, Feb. 29th
:: San Diego, Saturaday, March 1st
:: Fresno, Monday, March 3rd
:: San Jose, Tuesday, March 4th

You can download fliers and get location, agenda & co-sponsor information at:
http://www.foodsecurity.org/california/CA_Events.html

This meeting is for YOU - our members and allies - to learn about and help guide our coalition in its
path towards becoming a more powerful political
force and creating an equitable, just and sustainable food system for all of us.
• Learn about and provide feedback on our coalition¹s new training and mentoring
program.
• Determine our campaign and policy priorities on a local, state and federal level for the
next two to three years.

RSVP to Jessica Bell, jessicabell@foodsecurity.org, 510 704 0245.

Want to co-sponsor and help organize a meeting? Want to provide feedback on what CFJC¹s
future program work Should look like? Or do you just want more information? Contact Jessica

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

:: Community Food Project Update: Organizations who submitted LOI’s have heard back from
USDA that this year’s competition for the Community Food Projects Grants Program (CFP) has been
halted by USDA because of "uncertainty" about the future funding of the program in the Farm Bill.
Over 460 Letters of Intent had been submitted prior to the suspension of the program. Your
advocacy is critical to ensure funding and a grant round for this year. See the farm bill section
above for details and visit http://www.foodsecurity.org/california/Farm_Bill.html for action tools.
Millions of dollars are at stake for programs that support access to healthy food for underserved
communities and benefit family farmers. The CFP competition for 2008 will only be renewed if:
• Legislators approve – and the President signs a new Farm Bill that includes mandatory
funding for CFP
• Legislators approve – and the President signs a long-term extension of the 2002 Farm Bill.
This extension would most likely go until 2009 at a minimum.
Either of these scenarios has to happen more or less by May to enable USDA to have enough time
to review and process grants for this fiscal year.

:: After School Enrichment Grants for CA High, Elementary and Middle Schools! The California
Department of Education will be supporting nonprofits, LEAs and public agencies in California to
establish before and after school enrichment programs that partner schools and communities to
provide academic support, safe, constructive alternatives for public school and at-risk students.
Deadline: February 4, 2008. More information http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/profile.asp?id=1173

:: Lexus Launches Environmental Education Program. This new program encourages middle and
high school students to develop and implement environmental programs that positively impact
their communities. The finalist and grand prize-winning teams will be announced on Earth Day,
April 22, 2008. Remaining Deadline: March 31, 2008. More Information at:
http://www.scholastic.com/lexus

:: Four Funding Opportunities from USDA’s Risk Management Agency Details on All of them can be
viewed at http://www.rma.usda.gov/aboutrma/agreements. For more information contact the
Davis Regional Office at 530-792-5870. Here’s a quick summary:
1 Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership: For collaborative outreach and
assistance programs for limited resource, socially disadvantaged and other traditionally under-
served farmer and ranchers. Applicants will receive higher scores for projects that incorporate
training on the benefits and implementation of AGR-Lite insurance coverage plan, promote
energy alternatives for small farmers and ranchers, identify the ability to reach a broad and diverse
group of farmers and ranchers, and provide substantial effort to partner with organizations that
meet the needs of producers. Funding Limitations: No maximum or minimum funding levels have
been established for individual projects or geographic location. Deadline: Closing Date: March
24, 2008
2 Commodity Partnership: Grants to deliver training and information in the management of
production, marketing, and financial risk to U.S. agricultural producers, with priority to educating
producers of crops currently not insured under Federal crop insurance, specialty crops, and
underserved commodities. Applicants will receive higher scores for projects that demonstrate
partnership commitment and reach a broad group of farmers and ranchers. Funding Limitations:
50 awards made of up to $75,000. Deadline: March 24, 2008
3 Commodity Partnership Small Sessions Programs: Grants to deliver training and information
in the management of production, marketing, and financial risk to U.S. agricultural producers, with
priority to educating producers of crops currently not insured under Federal crop insurance,
specialty crops, and underserved commodities. Funding Limitations: $10,000. Deadline: March 24,
2008
4 Targeted States: Grants to deliver crop insurance education and information to U.S.
agricultural producers in certain states that have been designated as historically underserved with
respect to crop insurance.Funding Limitations: 15 awards will be made, read notice for specific
state allocations. Deadline: March 24, 2008

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IN THE NEWS: Misleading Meat!

:: Cloned Animals are Safe to Eat? Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration declared
that it is OK to eat cloned animals, believing that cloned meat and milk is indistinguishable from
conventional livestock. The issue of whether to have special labels to distinguish such food
products is still pending. Officials believe that there should be no labels since there are no special
health safety issues. However, consumers and critics weary of cloned food products and want a
way to know which products are from cloned animals. Read what people are saying:
• Cloned Meat Sparks Consumer Campaign: http://us.oneworld.net/article/view/157198/1/
• Where’s the Beef: http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=12617
• From the Ethicurean: http://www.ethicurean.com/2008/01/15/cloned-food-passes/
• Cloned Beef and Cabbage: http://blogs.reuters.com/ask/2008/01/15/cloned-beef-and-
cabbage-anyone/

:: Oppose USDA's Proposed "Naturally-Raised" Meat Label: Help prevent USDA from developing a
new "naturally raised" label that would mislead consumer and undermine the vibrant markets
created by sustainable livestock producers! With this proposed label, producers would only be
required to certify that their livestock were never given antibiotics, hormones, or animal
byproducts. "Naturally raised" is therefore misleading and vague and will put doubt and confusion
in American consumers. Please submit comments opposing USDA's proposal by the January 28th
deadline! http://www.cfra.org/node/1008. Read more:
• Chicago Tribune - What does naturally really mean?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sun_natural_0106jan06,0,202496.story?coll=chi-
business-hed

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MEDIA (and art) THAT MATTERS

:: From Edible to Incredible! If you think your dinner plate is boring, check out how it could be
turned into a beautiful piece of artwork! Click here to see the photographs of Carl Warner:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7186989.stm

:: CFJC Member Videos: Community Services Unlimited using video to tell the story of their work
and their community http://csuinc.org/multimedia/. Video’s shot by
http://www.RyanisHungry.com. Want your orgs video featured? Email
heather@CAFoodJustice.org
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ANNOUNCEMENTS

:: Water Wars: Come eat and learn at the second Turning the Tables event at 1 Fort Mason this
February 8th. The focus of this dinner is the crisis facing California’s inland water system. Keynote
Senator Joe Simitian, author of SB 27, an important piece of legislation aimed at tackling the
problems of the Delta.
...Read more about the Delta and the threat of climate change here,
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18031391
...Read more about the latest in California Water Wars and the judge order to reduce pumping
from the Delta here, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18031391

:: Strengthening The Roots Food, Justice, & Fair Trade! The United Students for Fair Trade and the
California Student Sustainability Coalition's Foods Initiative is calling for all college or high school
students, allies and other key members of the movement to share strategies, knowledge and skills
about creating sustainable food systems on campuses. Come join the movement this February 15-
18 in Santa Cruz. Register at: http://www.usft.org/node/178

:: ALBA is hiring! The Agricultural & Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) is looking for a General
Manager and a Demonstration Field Advanced Apprentice. The General Manager will lead the
ALBA Organics company, in charge of selling produce from beginning, limited-resource, and other
organic family-farmers on the Central Coast. The Demonstration Field Advanced Apprentice will
lead planning, production, and research in the 1.5 acre organic demonstration field and orchard,
including technical assistance and hosting field trips. Positions are open until filled. visit
http://www.albafarmers.org for more information

:: The Ecology Center is hiring! The Ecology center is looking for a Ecology Center Store Program
Manager and a Farmers' Market Assistant Manager. The Store Program Manager will be in charge
of the day to day operations as well as the long term strategic planning of the Ecology Center
Store. Position must be filled by the end of January email applications to amy@ecologycenter.org.
The Farmers' Market Assistant Manager will be onsite at the Tuesday market as an assistant and the
Thursday market as the Market Manager. Office and operational support will be needed Mondays
and possibly Wednesdays. Start date is February 1. http://www.ecologycenter.org/jobs.

:: Growing Power presents Growing Your Community Food System "From the Ground Up" 2008
Workshop Series. Learn how to build a profitable farm by developing a business plan for your urban
farm. The remaining workshop dates are February 16-17, March 15-16, April 19-20, and May 10-11,
at Growing Powers Milwaukee location. Check out Growing Power's websites for more details
about these workshops at http://www.growingpower.org

:: The Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program (MAAP) is now accepting applications for
MAAP 2008. This paid 8 week intensive national organizer training program is for people of color
who are committed to learning the theory and practice of building social justice movements
through direct-action organizing. Graduates of the program receive help finding employment as
organizers with community and labor organizations fighting for social justice. The program will take
place on June 16th though August 8th. Please submit applications to the CTWO training
department trainings@ctwo.org by March 7th.

:: The Food Policy Council Program Training Workshops! The Community Food Security Coalition
will be offering regional workshops to assist individuals and organizations interested in the
development of local, regional or state food policy councils. The workshop is suitable for beginners
as well as those with more experience. The workshops are divided by regional area in order to
promote regional networking and information sharing. The remaining two workshop are in
Milwaukee, WI Feb. 28-29, 2008 & Santa Fe, NM May 5th. Contact Mark Winne, Food Policy Council
Director with questions or to get registration details (505) 983-3047.

:: Urban Forum 2008. The Commercial Markets Advisory Services and Indianapolis LISC would like to
invite you to attend the Urban Forum 2008 this April 28-30 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Come and share
your diverse perspectives on neighborhood revitalization as you build a network of peers, experts,
retailers, and developers and take a part in the educational sessions and tours. View the brochure
at http://lisc.org/urbanforum

:: . Marion Nestle to Speak In LA On Food Politics: Tuesday Feb 12: Food Politics: An Evening with
Marion Nestle Tuesday, Feb. 12 -- 5:30 p.m. The California Endowment's Center for Healthy
Communities 1000 N. Alameda St. Los Angeles, CA 90012. Details at:
http://tcenews.calendow.org/pr/tce/Marion-Nestle.aspx.

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The California Food and Justice Coalition is a statewide membership coalition committed to
the basic human right to healthy food while advancing social, agricultural and environmental
justice.
We are partners of the national Community Food Security Coalition, and collaborate with
community-based efforts in California working to create a socially just, ecologically
and economically sustainable food supply. We envision a California food system in which all
activities,
from farm to table, are equitable, healthful, regenerative, and community-driven.

California Food and Justice Coalition c/o CFSC

P.O. Box 209, Venice, CA 90294 ® 310-822-5410 ® FAX 310-822-1440
http://www.CAFoodJustice.org
email: info@CAFoodJustice.org